Apparatus for generating electric energy



May 21, 1929. w o FLETCHER 1,713,649

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING ELECTRIC'ENERGY Filed Sept. 17, 1926 llllllllllllllll Patented May 21, 1929. 149

UNITED STATEEE lfll l l WILLIAM D. FLETCHER, OF WEST NEW BRIGHTON, N EW YORK.

APPARATUS FOP. GENERATING ELECTRIC ENERGY.

Application flied September 17, 1926. Serial No. 186,029.

--This invention relates to the generation of costs, it is proposed to take power for the electric power for operating machinery or generation of current for the auxiliaries equipment which is auxiliary or incidental 'l'rom the miin engine so long as said engin to the operation ofa main engine and to is operating at or above it predclerinincd c apparatus adapted for this purpose. rate of speed, but to PLOVlll? an :mxiliary It is an object of this invention to provide engine from which power for the generation means bywvhich such power" may he genorof current may be taken when the n ain. atcd moreieconomica-lly than is possible at engine falls below said predetermined rate present. I of speed or when it is stopped. or; Other objects and advantages of the in- The pllilfil' e oi the invention may hoopvention will appear hereinafter.

plied in many diiiercnt Ways, but for per-- A preferred embodiment of the invention poses of illustration has been shown upselect-cd for purposes of illustration is shown plied to an :1 p paratus in which a single genin the accompanying drawings, in which eretor 1 is driven either by the main engine "0 'The figure is a semi-diagrammatic view 2 or by an auxiliary engine In the cmof the apparatus. hodiment il stra t-ed, the generator shalt -1- s a specific example of the application is connected to a shaft 5 which is driven by of the invention, the power plant or a steamthe'main engine, through clutch c which ship may he considered. In such ships, a will he described more particular main engine of any desired type is provided which drives suitable propelling mechanism either directly or through reduction gearing her after. The auxiliary engine 3 is connected to the other end of the generator shaft 4 and kept up to at all times by on tion or in some cases through suitable electrical of the main engine in order that EARLY almechanism. Auxiliary equipment incidenways he in condition to take over the driving 8% tel to the operation or" the main engine is of the generator,

also provided, consisting usually of pumps and blowers, as for example, the main con denser circulating pump, condenser air Connected to the shaft :3 is e gear I which meshes with n 7' to drive the hall governor 8. Movement of the collar the pump, holler feed pump, fuel oil pum s, governor is driven at different speeds causes 3 lubricating oil pumps, fuel oil trans er movement of the lever 10 carrying the elec pumps and draft blowers. Other auxiliary tricel contact 11. Thislever is pivoted at equipment is also frequently provided as, for 12 in suchrnenner that when t example, ventilating equipment, lighting gine is stopped or is and heating equipment, bilge pumps, ballast predetermined. speed, contact 1]. i 35 pumps, and sanitary pumps. It has been from the contact 13 arranged sd sc found convenient to operate such auxiliary to in the manner illustrated. he the speed equipment by electricity and accordingly, in of the main engine 5 creases, contact 11 ie many ships, an electric generator is promoved to contact nit-n the contact 3.3. Convided, driven by an auxiliary engine, which tact 11 is connected by means of leads is, 15 40 generates the electric power necessary to opand. 16 to the lead 17 from the generator and crate said auxiliary equipment. contact 13 is connected through the iced 18, Since the smaller auxiliary engine is relaelectronutgnet 19, leads 2G and 21 to the iced tively ineilicient as compared. with the main 22 from the'generetor, fionsequentiy, when engine, the operating cost of such instsllaever the contact 11 contacts with the contact 35 tions is relatively high. If it were possible 13 a circuit is made which ene gizes the l to drive the auxiliary generator at all times electro-magnet 19 to operate the sivitch i from the main engine, it is apparent, that Switch 25 carries a contact 26 which is mor imore economical operation would result, but mally held in contact with the contact 2? inasmuch as the speed of the main engine by means of the sprin 28, but when oper- 60 .varies from time to time and also since the ated by the electro-magnet 13 the contact main engine is stopped completely for long is moved to contact with the contact "and short intervals during which'the suxili- Contact 2? is connected through lead 30, ary equipment must be operated continuelectro-magnet 31 and leedfifi to the lead 15 -ously, this is impractical. Therefore, no and thence through leads 16 to 'c 1? lie 55 cording to the preferred embodiment of: the from the generator contact 26 coninvention, as e means operating Elected through thelcsd to lead which ll 12D, 21

vof the v 'auxihary 3. "v, hen eiie swi'oh 1s to break the contest however,

: owwing 'oinieeio 6 is disengaged and eioctro-gnagnot 31 steam $0 em auxiiie'ry engine genomthe cosiizi i eon'tzwi; Wiiil Contact energizes open the steam valve against the fionsion spring 35 to snppiy sieam 'to bhe 3i hie nergized and stesam spring" I The clutch 6 iiiustrote is of ihe magnotio type oam'ies o plnmiity of eie-ztrootoog new 38 connecteii in series son; obie eioctrioei connecti n to the 39 one? 40 Cfllii-ifi on fioe shaft 33 i3 oonneoiezi through e fixeci contact men be: -l ieed 42 to file contact 252 anti ing 46* is oonneotediiuough the contactember i3 and ieod. 44 to the ioexis 15.5 and fiiims, 53E apparatus is in the posiin. the ironing, the (finish lemme oisen 'ae i "but when switon l ines ioe electro-me 'neis' which eenses iii ointoh faces to The operation o the apamtu wii'i be oppaxenfi fizrom fonegoing description. i Voen one engine is stopped or is opbeiowtiie iiprecietermine speed the is energizeii to open sieam mine to ,dlriwe iiiie auxiliary l1g1216 3i Agimission of from-one main engine. If desireo, the by pass steam line &5 may be provided controlled by a valve -27 WlHQh may be. used to me the auxiliary engine, if, for any reason, the automatic mechanism should fail to 0;)-

erate. The valve i? may remain partly open at aii times, if desire, permit steam 0 enter the auxiliary engine i0 cool the some or to oauso said auxiliary engine to take part of i'zne driving looci from ihe main engine,

While in the preferreii einbodimeno illusirate the invention has been shown as applied 'zo apparatus in which 2 single genorator is driven eitiaer by the main engine or by an auxiliary engine, it Wiii be 2 parent that the nx'inoipie of the iivenr'aion be oppiieoi izo eppm'otua in wfoich two (3 "e closes under the iifiuence of the,

11 engine controiiezi by mime-i.

PFOVidfiii, one being (iriven flsoo ioiain engine and the other being wen by on euxiiiary engine at times when engine generator fails to produce e neoessany current, the automatic means empioyec'l in this case, as in the case 0 the apparatus particularly dosoribe, to she load from'fihe main engine the auziiiary engine and vise versa.

It Wiii aiso be understood that the invem" non be veiiousiy modified and e speed.

2.: En. an apparatus for genemiing enrrem for tiie operation of equipment auxiliary or incidental to'tiie operation of main. turoine, generator, means to operetiveiy conneat sai generator no said main turbine an auxiliaryturbine, means to operatively cone nee: said generator to said auxiliary turbine,

Fe. throi'ie valve to comroi said auxiliary iorbine, one} eiutch oontroiied mechanicei io ciisconneot soi generator from said main turbine and open said ihroifle valve when saici mam turbine falls below a inadetermineci Snead,

in an appamius for generating currena for the operation of equipment auxiliary o1? incioientai to the operation oi? a main engine, sin-boil eontroiiierl. meohanioai means for tak ing power for the generation or" current from the main engine when said engine is operating at or eoove a predetermined speed; an auxiliary steam engine, means for taking power for the generation of current from said auxiliary steam engine when Saki main. engine is mapped or is operating beiowsaid predoferminefi snee and auiornatio means said main engine for shfiting load the main to sine anzgiliory engine and vice versa and for admitting motive fluid to the enxiiiary'eng fno,

4:. In an apparatus for "generzmbino; cup ren'z for the operation of equipmenteuidL iary or incifientai to the operation' E a main engine, Q'GIIQZZKOPIHGQLDS, clutch LViAt-FOHGd mechanical means for driving said generator n eons from the main. engine iviien said engine is operating. ai'or above a preaieter-V- nnned speed, an auxiliary engine permanentiy connecteci to said generator and moving therewith at all times, and automatic ineens controlled by said main engine -for shifting the load from the main totlie anxiiisry engine and vice versa and. for admitting motive fluid to the auxiliary engine.

5. In an apparatus for generating electric current for the operation of equipment auxiliary or incidental totlie operation of a main engine, a continuonsly opereting generating means, an auxiliary engine perinanently attached thereto and moving there- I with at all times, it clutch controlled mecnanical connection for driving said gen crating means and said asxiliary engine from the main engine when said. engine is operating at or above a predetermined sneeci, and automatic means to cause sail auxiliary engine to drive said. generating means when the main engine is stopped or is operating at less than said predetermined s eecl.

6. In an apparatus for generating current for the operation of equipment auxiliary or incidental to the operation of e. main engine, generating means, clutch controlled mechanical connecting means for driving said generator nieansfrom the main engine when said engine is operated at or above a predetermined speed, an auxiliary engine permanently attached to said generator means and moving therewith at all times, and means for supplying motive fluid to said auxiliary engine when said main engine is stopped or is operating below said predetermined speed,

7. loan apparatus for generatin current for the operation of equipment auxiliary or incidental to the operation of a main engine, a, generator, means including a clutch to connect said generator to said main engine, an auxiliary engine permanently secured to said generator and movin therewith at all times, and means control ed by said main engine for disengaging said clutch when said main engine fails below it gsrecietermined speed. i

8. In an apparatus of tire cisss CiBSCiliT-EG, a main en ine, a continuously oners'ting driven means, an auxiliary cngi 12 pc .nenently attached. thereto anti. moving with at all times, clutch controlen mechanical connection for driving said driven means and said. auxiiiary engine from tce main engine "when said engine is opers'ing at or above a predetermined speed, and tomatic means to cause said auxiliary engine to drive said driven means the main engine is stopped. or is operating at less than said predcterminerl 9. In an apparatus of the clues described, a driven member and means for driving said driven member st a constant speed compris ing a variable speed prime mover and a constant speed. prime mover, a clutch controlled mechanical connection for engn and disengaging said variable speed prune mover from said driven member when the speed thereof falls below at predetermined limit, and means to govern the admission there motive fluid to said constant speed prime mover to'caum the same to be driven at constant speed under varying lends.

10. In an apparatus of the class descriiied, a main engine, a. continuously operating driven means, an auxiiiory engine perms nently attached therete and moving there with at all times, a clutch ccntroled ineciisnical connection, means tor taking power for driving said driven means from the main engine when said engine is operating at or above a predetermined see-ed, means for etlmitti g motive livid to ssici. auxiliary engine while taking power from said main engine.

In testimony whereof, 1 have signeei my name to this specification this 15th clay of September, 192%.

WELLIAM D. FLETCE-lns. 

